St Johns Rotary actively connects with communities locally and globally. Our members are men and women ranging from young professionals to the more experienced and are a group diverse across backgrounds and cultures joined together with a passion for community service and friendship. The achievements of the club members, often joined by family, are significant and appreciated by the community at large. Members are encouraged to include family and friends in club activities.
I hope all the wonderful mothers were spoilt over the weekend by the family and loved ones.
Last week, we inducted our 70th member to our Club and please introduce yourself to Sang and give him the St John’s warmth and friendly spirits.
Last Friday, I was at the Christchurch Sunrise Rotary Club. It was a great meeting as always, meeting up with their club president Nigel and caught up with DG Arie (District 9970) at the same time too.
If you are visiting Christchurch on Friday 9 June, three Rotary Clubs from D9970 – Garden City, Avonhead and Papanui will be hosting an event “Rotary Breakfasts for Business” with Hon Amy Adams, Minister of Justice as their guest speaker for the morning. It will be at Addington Raceway. A donation from this event will be made to the Go Baby Go Project (www.gobabygo.org.nz)
I look forward to Thursday when we will be hosting Julie McCarthy from Dove Hospice. Our club is involved with the monthly garage sale every third Saturday of the month from 8am to 12noon. If you have not been to the garage sale to assist, I suggest you do so quickly, it is lots of fun and bargains to be had.
In the meantime, keep warm & dry and see you on Thursday morning.
This week I went again to school, did some important things for the last five weeks of my exchange.
Friday I drove with the bus up North to Kerikeri, to visit Katrina, a German Exchange Student. During the day we walked through Kerikeri and in the afternoon some Taiaha in front of the Stone Store.
I drove in the evening with Belinda (Jonathans (Exchange Student who was in Germany)Mother) to Taipa. During the next two days, we went to Kaitaia, went fishing for one day and relaxed in the beautiful summer weather.
Henning's Fact for the week:
Prison escape is not punishable by law in Germany – German law maintains that it’s a basic human instinct to be free and therefore, prisoners have the right to escape jail. Escapes, however, rarely go unpunished because prisoners are held liable if they cause damage to property or inflict bodily harm against any individual upon their breakout.
Henning's phrase for the week:
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein
A huge thank you for your support of our Helping Hands Build. Out team have really enjoyed working with you all, and your contribution has been massive in building this home for the Nikora family. We have also raised almost $100,000 in gifts in kind, sponsorship and cash donations. All has gone towards building this home, and will be recycled back into Habitat over the next 8 years as the family pay for their home and then finally purchase.
Thing is, we haven’t quite finished. So we are looking for anyone who may have time this week Monday15th – Friday 19th to help us complete the internal fit out. Shelving, kitchen, architrave, skirting boards, painting and general finishing all on the menu for anyone willing.
If you have any time, please contact Andrew Baker on 021922007 and let him know when you can help.
I have attached a short video from NZ Herald taken on site this week. Think it says very well what we do, why we do it, and what you have all achieved.
Allan presented to us about his passion - Environmentally Sustainable Farming Systems: – Turning Light Energy into Food. Sharing his journey as a farmer and the challenges faced to make money, he explained how he got into the field of “growing soil”. With an interesting and technical PowerPoint presentation he enlightened us on how nature built up earths soil and developed a “soil food web” essentially enabling the soil to feed plants.
We were introduced a myriad of scientific/technical terms such as “cyanobacteria” (the bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis); photosynthesis (being the key to natures soil program) and Brix (the sugar content of an aqueous solution). Alan also put some of these heady concepts into more understandable language for those of us who are not so good with the nuts of bolds of science, explaining “the leaf is the petrol pump which feeds the soil”. Allan spoke about his concerns with Commodity Farming and the dangers of putting chemical fertilisers in our soil which in his opinion was actually causing the erosion of nature’s capital. However, soil scientists are not on the same wave length and the makers of fertilizers often fund University programmes and science labs, so changing “thinking” on sustainability is very difficult. He explained how farmers need to take ownership of their own farm practices, and that if persuaded to build their soil (aka “natures capital”) they couldn’t lose. As an example, he spoke about water cleanliness and how the current focus is on cleaning up water on farms; but he believes the focus should actually be on cleaning up the farm! If the land and soil is clean, then the water would also be clean.
Allan has developed a soil program (Naturesmart™) and believes New Zealand could be changing to farm practices that would improve the environment and by doing so we could become leaders for the provision of nutrient dense food. He has presented his program to key politicians who advise they have referred it along.
His presentation was thought-provoking and fits well with St John’s push to promote sustainability. We wish him well in his Naturesmart™ crusade.
Welcome to Sang to the Rotary Club of St Johns. Sang has been assigned to the Community and International committee. We look forward to getting to know you.
We are the greatest! People are flocking to our membership because of this but there is more to our club than that. We WANT people just to know more about us because, yes we like new members, but also YES we like people to support our projects by taking part, to be sponsors and to refer others to us.
You can help very easily! Really, it is so easy.
First you 'Like' our club Facebook page - even if you have Facebook and don't use it much / at all. To do this click on the big blue " f " to the left.
Second, as you see posts from the club - and they will be interesting - you can 'Share' these (the 'Share' is at the bottom of each post) and, this is important, if you can just add your own personal 'take' or thoughts about the post to the top - all will be obvious when you do this.
In Sharing you are telling a whole new bunch of people about our club and because the Share comes from you, they will read it because the trust YOU.
President Elect Peter Buchanan presented the Club's objectives and plan for 2017/18 titled ' Looking Ahead To: 1 July 2017 – 30 June 2018. Peter provided some background to the establishment of a new committee - the 'Environment and Science Committee'. Peter referred to Ian Riseley, Rotary International President-Elect and the 2017/18 presidential theme of Rotary: Making a Difference stating that ''the time is long past when environmental sustainability can be dismissed as not Rotary’s concern. It is, and must be, everyone’s''.
The new vision includes a new committee setup "Environment & Science" which amongst other projects will be:
Environment - Acting Locally
Restore Motutapu Island - weeding, planting, renovation and painting
Restore Waiatarua Reserve - annual planting
Clean up Tamaki beaches
School involvement in Trees for Survival Program
Environment - Acting Globally
Our club is also one of the first few clubs to be inducted into The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG). http://esrag.org/
Sciences
National Science & Technology Forum - D9920 coordination
Sir Paul Callaghan Eureka Awards - Auckland Region coordination
The Board of Directors for 2017/2018 are as follows:
The Club meets Thursday for breakfast at 7am for 7.15am start except for the first Thursday of the month, when the Club meets in the evening at 6pm for dinner
Venue is the Remuera Golf Club, 120 Abbotts Way, Remuera, Auckland, 1072, New Zealand.
All Rotarians are welcomed including Rotarian family members.
Others wanting to visit are most welcome to contact Peter Walsh walshp@xtra.co.nz to arrange an invitation.
Be an active participant in our vibrant club
Did you join Rotary to do good things in the community?
Below are some of the opportunities you can take part in. You do not have to be a member of the committee organising these to go to the director and / or project team leader and offer to take on a role. In most cases you can include family and friends. Enjoy you Rotary: Be an active Rotarian.
Meetings are an enjoyable time for socialising/networking, planning and some learning
Partners, family and friends are always welcome but if possible please let Club Service Director know for numbers (don't want to run out of the great food). Of course, evening meetings with the high-profile speakers are an especially ideal time to invite people.
If you are rostered for any duty, but unable to undertake the duty due to absence, it is your responsibility to arrange for another member to step in and undertake your duty in your absence. This cannot be the individual rostered as “On the Day Standby”. Everyone’s cooperation in this regard will be much appreciated.
This week I went again to school, did some important things for the last five weeks of my exchange. 
A huge thank you for your support of our Helping Hands Build. Out team have really enjoyed working with you all, and your contribution has been massive in building this home for the Nikora family. We have also raised almost $100,000 in gifts in kind, sponsorship and cash donations. All has gone towards building this home, and will be recycled back into Habitat over the next 8 years as the family pay for their home and then finally purchase.
Allan presented to us about his passion - Environmentally Sustainable Farming Systems: – Turning Light Energy into Food. Sharing his journey as a farmer and the challenges faced to make money, he explained how he got into the field of “growing soil”. With an interesting and technical PowerPoint presentation he enlightened us on how nature built up earths soil and developed a “soil food web” essentially enabling the soil to feed plants.
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